Arles à la carte

I spent three weeks in October taking one-on-one classes at Arles à la Carte in October, 2023. I came with a very basic level of French. The teachers were able to make confident me enough to start speaking the French that I been studying for six months online. I highly recommend them. My only regret is that I did not have a firmer foundation in French. The teachers, Anna, Natalia, and Rodolphe, did a good job in coordinating their approaches. An added bonus was that one of my teachers took me on tours of the major sites of Arles. One day a French couple approached us, curious as to what we were doing. We subsequently had a grand conversation with my broken French. I hope for a repeat visit within the next year or two.

I enjoyed the language approach applied at the school. From the moment I entered the school I was warmly received. The teachers were dynamic, personable and were genuinely interested in helping me to improve my communication skills. I especially enjoyed the inside/outside classroom wherein I had a chance to incorporate cultural aspects in my language acquisition. The location was also a plus as the town of Arles was fabulous for there was so much to do there. I also enjoyed my living arrangements as it was quite close to the school.

I do not have any negative comments.

I am already level B2 but there are not many trainers and classes that can correct us the Asian pronunciation in Japan. So I left bad pronunciation until now.
I had the chance to improve it with this school.
I wished to continue the same class even more,
Unfortunately, I left Arles.
Thank you for giving me good lessons.

I spent 3 weeks with Arles à la carte to learn some french, 4 days a week. I had "one on one" courses (course particulaire) and groupe courses. All of them were great. The teachers were great and flexible - I had normal classes indoors, but we also went out into the city to practise some french, had lunch together. It was a great mixture of teaching and practising in the city. I liked that a lot. All of the teachers were really great with the right spirit and I always felt very welcomed.

Only thing that I would change, if I would do the course again: I would do more groupe courses, because its more fun in the group, less intense and you get to learn new poeple.

One recommendation to the á la carte team: I think it might be a good strategy to have different teachers for those "students" that take a longer course. Different teachers teach you same things differently and that helped me to foster my french.

All in all a great thing in a great city.

I did not like that the teacher was doing her personal hygiene (oiling her hands extensively etc. for a very long time) right in front of me. When she should have been giving attention to my reading aloud, my conversation etc.

It gave me the sensation of not being her primary focus and of being unimportant. It upset me very much.

When she - the next day - made signs of starting a repeat performance I stopped it. I asked her not to do so and to give me her full attention. That helped.

I am very happy with my experience in Arles.
My teacher Emma is the best in the world, and the director perfect.
The French course was very good. Arles is a very pretty village, the food is French cuisine, the best in the world, the cultural atmosphere is unique. Joys luck with the temperature.

My trip was perfect and I think next year I will return to school Arles a la carte.

Thanks to Emma, Katie and all the school

My time in Arles was beautiful.

I enjoyed every minute of being there, and leaving felt like the hardest thing I had to do all year long. My host family was amazing and I felt like I fit right in with them flawlessly. The extent to which the staff of Arles à La Carte goes to make sure that the host family you are paired up with is the right match is unparalleled.

Being in Arles was my first time out of the United States and admittedly I was nervous, but as soon as we had finished the end of the first few days, I didn't have any more fear about being away from home. Not only were the teachers extremely knowledgeable and friendly, the location of our class rooms, the extra activities, and excursions we got to go on made everything so much easier to adjust there; and that much easier to fall in love with the city.

My time spent in Arles gave birth to a greater love for France that still exists in my heart today. Not only for the country, but the people, the culture, the language, and all of the wonderful experiences I had the opportunity to have while I was there.

If you have the option to study in France with Arles à La Carte, there is no decision to be made. You simply must go!

Katie was very friendly and was a fabulous teacher, which was welcoming in a country where I did not speak the language.

The location was very authentically French and was also convenient.

I would highly recommend this experience to travelers like myself and to anyone wanting to learn French.

Going to Arles was one of the most unforgettable trips I've been on. The itinerary included excursions to beautiful cities, trips to art museums and other interesting places. I wish we could have stayed in Arles first before going to Paris on the first day off the plane, because many of us were exhausted. Additionally, I know that it was supposed to be an immersion trip, but since we only had limited vocabulary in French, it would've been helpful to go on more English tours, especially at the Louvre. Katie was very helpful giving summaries about the works of art in English. She was also an amazing host and guide for the trip in general; she was on top of everything and was willing to listen to any questions that I had.

Another thing I really enjoyed was staying with host families and working as an intern in Arles. It gave me a chance to be independent and have a feel for what working in another country is like, and I made many new relationships. The girls at Le Monde de Sophie we very patient and friendly. The language classes can be a bit tedious, but they are helpful in teaching important words and phrases that might help you communicate better in French.

My Arles à la carte experience was an unforgettable one. One of my favorite memories in France was climbing the Eiffel Tower the day we arrived, and then laying under the sun at the Champs de Mars. I would definitely recommend Arles à la carte to any French student seeking to go to France, but are on a budget.

Although I was only in Arles à la carte for one month, by the end of the trip I can honestly say I was so much better in my French skills. I liked the structure of the class; the lunch with the professors at the half way point really gave us much more insight and time to debrief all we learned in the mornings. All the professors were very well qualified for the courses we were offered, and were willing to help. Having the Friday trips and lunches did not only enable us to have a bond with the rest of my classmates but with the instructors as well. I really adored the location on the program. It was right in the city center, and the host families lived at a distance where I was able to enjoy a 10 minute walk every morning and truly feel like a local. Overall, there was nothing wrong that I saw with the programs, except I wish I was there for another month or so!

I really liked the entire program, and I don't really think that there was much of anything that I didn't like.

My host family was amazing and their house was really old and awesome. They really tried to make me feel like a family member while still giving me the freedom of a college student. We had great meals, they occasionally brought over people to change up conversation topics, I was invited to my host mom's choir events (I'm in vocal groups at the university so it was a fun experience), and they gave me good places to visit in the cities we visited. They even let me borrow their bike for a trip my friends and I went on to Chateau d'Estoublon.

The classes were very helpful without being too class-like (which I was happy about, it being my summer break), and the teachers were fun yet still taught many important things. These were the finer details on pronunciation and grammar that would not normally be covered in the US but could be worked on with a group of students who wanted to learn the language enough to do this program. Actually just a couple weeks ago, years after the program ended, I was told by a Parisian couple that I still had a 'southern' accent. I will take that over "loud, annoying American" any day!

The events were fun too, going to different cities, visiting the movie theater and watching l'Ecume des Jours, the free weekend, and the lunches where you could talk to the teachers and students in a very casual setting. A friend's host mom brought us to a samba school concert as well.

For the intensity of the program and material covered, I would say the length was perfect as well. Any shorter and I wouldn't have gotten as much out of the program. Any longer and it would have started to feel more like a learning-vacation than a study abroad program.

Katie did a great job of matching me with my family. Coming from a family of four girls, I was placed with a "host mom" who was also from a family of all girls. My host mom was also researching and working at the historical museum which was a great fit since I was studying history at the time! We had a lot to talk about over dinners, and I still keep distant contact with her now.

I liked that we were immersed in French, by only speaking French at home, in class, and on our lunches and field trips. The schedule made it so there wasn't that much time to cheat and speak in our first languages.

The one thing that I didn't like about this school is that the students came from varied language backgrounds meaning that the entry-level that some students had to French impeded the growth for French students that had studied the language for a longer period of time.

Classes: I loved the classes! Martial was fun and informative. I liked that the classes were small in size. I learned a lot in Julie's phonetics course (but I did feel that I got off a bit easy taking the phonetics course in 3 weeks versus one semester).

Location: Arles was fantastic. The size was perfect because it was manageable, but there is still lots to explore. I was lucky enough to see the countryside with the Gardeurs; perhaps students would enjoy more time in the countryside surrounding Arles?

Activities: I loved the historical museum and the monument visits around the city. My least favorite was the bus trip through the Camargue. However, I don't think it should be taken out, but maybe combined with something else, like a trip to the beach?

I loved, loved, loved my host family.

I wish that our group had been there during the festivals, but I know that is tough to arrange!

I wish I could remember more details, but it has been a while. All in all, it was a wonderful experience. It was a great introductory study abroad experience in the sense that you learn a lot without feeling overwhelmed. There is also a sense of support and connectedness with fellow students, teachers, and host family members.

Some other positive outcomes:
- Coming back to my home university having made close friends.
- When I went back to study abroad for longer periods, I was able to return to Arles and visit my host family (so maintaining that connection was great).
- My mom and friends ended up taking a vacation in Arles (thanks Katie!)

I participated in a three-week independent study program through Arles à la Carte in the summer of 2011. I had a one-on-one class with a French as a foreign language instructor in which we discussed pedagogy and various teaching methods/strategies. I also had the opportunity to formally observe some summer French courses for international studies in order to view the methods discussed in class put into practice. My instructor assigned rigorous and extensive homework (lesson planning) that required me to think critically about what happens in a foreign language classroom. The course required a lot from me, and that is what made it such a rewarding learning experience. I am now a French/Spanish high school teacher in the US, and I often look back at the notes/work from that summer as reference (they actually sit on a shelf behind my teacher desk for easy access).

I loved everything about this experience. Katie, the director, made sure everything was taken care of, and the program was highly organized. My instructor was amazing. She made it easy to feel comfortable, yet she was very honest and critical without being harsh, which was just what I needed. She made all topics fun and I learned so much from her.

Arles is a perfect city for language learners because there is so much to do and see without the bustle of tourists. There also aren't many opportunities for a student to use English to get around, which is perfect. The location of the school itself is perfect because it is centrally located, therefore, it is easily accessible regardless of where in the city you are staying.

As far as activities go, I would say this is the one area I can't give details about because my program was different. I was there independently while a large group of university students participated in a group program, and I definitely felt that the social activities is something I missed out on. However, I had the opportunity to eat lunch with the teachers and the director more than once, which was great. Also, I was asked to help the incoming group of students upon their arrival (taking them to get a phone, helping them get settled), but that was the only social opportunity with people my age. Other than that, Katie provided me with passes to the historical sites and museums and information about different local events, which I visited throughout my stay on my own.

With that said, my focus on this trip was on my classes and my host family, so while the social are was a little bit weak, I did not feel that it took away from my experience at all. My host family was a perfect match for me. I had two very young siblings (3 and 6) and I liked spending most of my free time with them. I was able to take part in their end-of-school event, birthday parties, family trip to the beach, and family trip to the mountain. My host parents were the sweetest and most welcoming. They took the time to teach me about their customs and ask about mine. They were patient and they made me part of their family. Even though I was only there for three very short weeks, I felt like a member of their family. Saying good-bye was extremely difficult.

In all honesty, I have no complaints and nothing bad to say about Arles à la Carte. I would recommend it in a heartbeat to anyone, and I often do. If I had the chance to do it over again, I would without changing a thing.

I like the language environment the program creates. The dinner with professors and students is really helpful, and the trip to other village is also interesting. The host family is really warm and helpful. I have improved a lot during the program.

I really liked the trip and I liked my classes. There was nothing to complain about. I was not too fond of my internship. I did not really do anything. Most of the time I just sat there and they gave me paper to draw on. I did not feel very productive, and I did not speak much. My family was fine; I do wish we did more activities together. They were very nice and we did have fun, but sometimes I felt like I did not get to interact with the family as much as I wanted to. I sat in my room for majority of the evening.

The teachers and housing were both excellent, and the program coordinator was very prepared to manage all aspects of the trip smoothly. My internship placement was a good fit, and the town of Arles was altogether very welcoming and accepting. Everything about the trip was unforgettable. I'm still in contact with my host family, and I've since gone back to Arles to see them. For everything we were able to do in our two weeks, the price seemed very reasonable. I have no complaints at all from the trip.

Although this program was structured, it was exactly what I needed at that point in my life. The structure kept us busy and allowed for us to make the most of our short time there. My experience was so relatable and practical. Everything I was learning in class I was able to use out in the streets and in my host families’. The host families were great and it was nice to meet other families in the group. This made it feel very homey and it was nice that our host families would do things together. I really felt welcome. I also loved the professors. They were friendly and informative. The conversation class I took in Arles was one of the best classes I've taken in my entire study of French.

I had a fantastic experience with Arles a la carte. The cultural experience I got from being in Southern France was like no other. I loved my host family, and they went out of their way to make me feel included. The history of the city was fascinating, and we took many field trips to learn about it! That may have been my favorite part; either that or the trips we took to cities around the area! It was also nice that they gave us a weekend or two to ourselves, to travel. It was my first time traveling alone, and I loved it. The teachers and instructors were more than happy to give me advice. And all of the local instructors were amazing. Going out to meals with them was so fun!

Arles is a great location for this program. We could walk everywhere, the city was pretty safe and open, and the school was easily accessible. I could go on forever about this program. I loved it.

The classes and homework were very easy for me personally, but because of that, I was able to speak more freely both in and out of class. I felt very comfortable talking with the teachers (Marciel was my favorite, as I'm sure he is with many of the students). I felt very special when we would go out for lunch with the teachers because I knew back at home this would never happen as a group.

The location was perfect because everything was in walking distance, which gave us chances to explore. One of my favorite days was renting bikes on a Saturday and riding out to a vineyard. The events planned by the school inspired us to do even more.

I was lucky to have a host family that included me in many family events, such as dinner, hiking, grocery shopping, etc. I loved being able to have my distance as a student with a different agenda (as I would stay out a little later at night to explore the Arles night life) but also be included as a student of Arles. Free museum day was the most miraculous thing for us, because we came across an opening night party attended by the Mayor of Arles, and my host mom was one of the coordinators of the museum exhibit, as I found out later in the evening. Everything in Arles has a secret history or art creation, and because I was challenging myself to speak French at any moment I could, it made speaking with the locals that much more fun.

I look back on my trip fondly and miss it every day!

As Canadian seniors traveling to France for an extended visit, Arles à la carte enabled us to be more connected with the community both linguistically and culturally. Ms. Katie Thornton communicated with us in advance of our arrival in Arles to assess our French language skills and, in conjunction with us, to create a program that enabled us to achieve our goals. The teachers were knowledgeable, patient and focused. We had goals we wished to achieve and the teachers never let us lose sight of those goals. In addition to classroom lessons, our teachers engaged us in field trips that included lunch with a local guest and walks around Arles to discuss so many local delights from Van Gough to French bull fighting. They provided us with information on local sights; so that we could go on self-guided trips with an understanding of what we would be experiencing. They put us in contact with local residents to enhance our cultural experience.

The location of the school, the facilities, and activities could not have been better. We cannot comment on the housing as we arranged our own accommodation on a farm located on the outskirts of Arles.

Since attending Arles à la carte, we have traveled extensively in France. We are better able to participate in conversations and have a deeper understanding of what we are experiencing. We have become more engaged in French activities in our Canadian community and attend French book launches and other activities. I have been able to expand my consulting service to include French speaking clients.

I had an amazing experience in this program. The classes helped to better my language skills and the faculty was some of the best. I felt as though the professors were very helpful and truly wanted us to succeed, as did all the rest of the faculty members. I loved that the program took place in the South of France and not just in Paros, because it gave me a better understanding of what the whole country was truly like, not to mention that Arles and surrounding cities are absolutely beautiful. I loved touring the castles and historical landmarks of the different towns and I felt that these tours helped me learn a lot about the history of France.

One of my favorite parts of the program was that we were able to stay with a host family. This was the biggest learning experience for me and I really enjoyed getting to learn about their culture first hand. I created such a strong bond with this family that I still message them today.

I hope to go back someday and see them and visit all the sights we saw during our trip. The Arles a la carte program was one of the best experiences of my life.

Arles a la carte was an amazing program. I learned a lot about French culture and language during the program, and I also met a lot of new people. My only wish would be for the program to be a little longer (like a month instead) in order for us to tour more areas of France. I also liked that we had some free time to explore Arles and do souvenir shopping.

I loved my classes in Arles. I had Julie in the morning and Martial in the afternoon. Both of them are exceptional teachers. Julie is amazing. I really enjoyed my week from Monday-Thursday when it was just regular class days. We had some homework every day but it usually wasn't too much. However, towards the end of the program, I had two presentations, a scrapbook to make, and the finals to get ready for, and that was stressful because there was a lot of work and not a lot of time. We were in Paris the last weekend and I remember practicing my presentations in my spare time in Paris or on the train because I felt overwhelmed by how much work I had to do.

I really loved having the staff lunches during Monday-Wednesday. These lunches were a great opportunity to practice more "every-day" French and they were also great just because I loved the whole staff and enjoyed spending time with them. The Arles à la Carte building was great. It was in a great location located centrally in Arles and it was such a cute place to learn every day. The short activities we had on school days were for the most part pretty good.

My favorite places to visit were les Arènes and le Théâtre Antique. My least favorite was the large blue museum on the outskirts of Arles. It was semi-interesting but it wasn't as great as the others. I really like the tour guide we had for the majority of these visits. I think her name was Natalie? She was great and she was always open to questions if we didn't understand. The little trips we took every Friday were also good. I really enjoyed Avignon and Les Alpilles. The Carrière des Lumières was so incredible! I hope I can go back there one day and I also really loved seeing the Pope's Palace in Avignon. Aix-en-Provence was less fun for me. The church we saw there was pretty cool but this visit was my least favorite of the three. However, I did like that in Aix-en-Provence we had most of the afternoon to just explore on our own. This was a nice break from everything always being scheduled for the whole group. I thought all the programming was very well thought out and planned perfectly. It was always clear exactly what we were going to do and what was expected of us. I liked the schedules we were given for the day-long visits because I liked knowing at exactly what times we were going to be doing things.

I loved my host family. They were great. I liked spending time with my host sister. We played board games and it was fun. It was sometimes hard to understand my host family, much more so than any of the staff, and this was frustrating and stressful for me. My host mom would also give me English translations of words when I didn't understand and I didn't like this. I feel like the Arles à la Carte staff should have told the families that when we don't understand words they should explain their meaning to us in French rather than just giving us the word in English like how we did it at school.

I feel like the first day should be shortened in terms of activities. We flew in and then trained to Arles and then we had like a whole day of activities like taking the walking tour of Arles. The first day was way too long for me and stressful because I hadn't been able to sleep much on the planes and just didn't feel good.

Overall, though, it was a great program.

My experience was very good even though I had a terrible stomach virus for about a week in the middle of it all. The family I lived with was very helpful and didn't speak English, which was a good thing considering the goals of the program. The teachers were good; some were better than others. Activities were there if you wanted and there was always some cultural event or tour. The tours of the landmarks with the class were very informative. A lot of the people weren't into speaking French with one another but that was a bit expected with the people who could major in French in college. Overall it was a very good experience.